Don't Exclude BYU for Religious Values

Major gay lobby groups in the United States are using the power within college athletics as a tool to advance their agenda, attack free speech, and vilify Brigham Young University for their religious convictions and beliefs.

This happened earlier this month when a coalition of 24 gay lobby groups banned together in urging the college athletic conference known as the Big 12 to not admit BYU as a new member because of their religious views on homosexuality.

In an August 8, 2016 letter addressed to the Big 12 commissioner and the 10 conference university presidents and athletic directors, the gay lobby groups claim:“BYU … actively and openly discriminates against its LGBT students and staff. It provides no protections for LGBT students … Given BYU’s homophobic, biphobic and transphobic policies and practices, BYU should not be rewarded with Big 12 membership.”

This letter is absolutely absurd and false.

Being known as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), Brigham Young University, has a tradition going back over 140 years honoring their religious views on drug and alcohol use, dating, abstinence, and supporting and upholding the teachings on the foundation of the natural family.

BYU is a private university. 99% of the students attending BYU are members of the LDS Church. These students agree to sign an honor codepledging to stand true to their church’s teachings and the values which many of them were raised with. Like any school, students will receive disciplinary action for breaking the honor code pledge.

This is nothing more than an attempt of the gay lobby to flex muscle and exhort power in sports. We saw what they were capable of doing when it comes to influence with the National Basketball League and the National Football League. Just last month the NBA moved their All-Star game from Charlotte.

It is important we stand with BYU. If we don’t, what’s next? Will Notre Dame or Oral Roberts or another religious academic institution have to change their views to compete in sporting events? If this stands, anything is possible!

BYU’s move to the Big 12 athletic conference will create an opportunity for greater revenue for the school’s athletic programs. Not to mention more advertising and national television exposure and (again) revenue.

The 10 schools currently in the Big 12 are Baylor University, Iowa State University, University of Kansas, Kansas State University, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, University of Texas, Texas Christian University, Texas Tech University, and West Virginia University.

BYU's sports teams have won a total of fourteen national championships. BYU is a top ranked college academically and excels in athletics.

The conference will make a decision soon to expand by at least two more teams. Prior to this letter being sent, BYU was among the top schools being considered. Now they have dropped to the bottom of the list.

Please stand up for BYU against this coalition of gay lobby groups.

Please sign our petition to the Big 12 asking that BYU not be overlooked for honoring and upholding their religious values.

I am writing to you in reference to the letter you received on August 8, 2016, pertaining to Brigham Young University (BYU), on behalf of 24 LGBT organizations.

It is important that you know, these organizations are falsely depicting BYU and the honor code students are required to sign.

As you may know, BYU, a private institution owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), has a tradition going back over 140 years honoring their religious views. 99% of BYU students are members of the LDS Church. Students agree to sign honor codes matching the values they were raised with on issues such as drug and alcohol use,dating, abstinence, and supporting and upholding the teachings on the foundation of the natural family.

These 24 groups sent you this letter with impure motives. They intend to push an agenda trying to force BYU to alter their church teachings and student policies.

Please do not allow the inaccurate and misleading letter you received on August 8, 2016 to interfere in the decision making process of the Big 12 expansion.

In doing so would in fact send an extremely dangerous message to private institution: get in step with Washington D.C. lobby groups or you will not advance in college athletics.Not to mention the fact that you will be actively discriminating against BYU for their religious views.

Sincerely,[Your Name]

Don't Exclude BYU for Religious Values

Sign this petition now!

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